Continuously-operating ore or ore-shale converting retort furnace



May 3, 1927.

A. M.v BEAM CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING ORE 0R ORE -SHALE GONVERTING RETORT FURNACE Filed Feb. 26.A 924 7 Shgats-$heet 1 1,627,538 ,May Y?" 1927" A. M. BEM;

GONTINUOUSLY PERTI'NG ORE OR ORE SHAW CONVER'IINGA RETQRT med Febfze, 1924 7 suyas-'sheet 2 A. M. BEAM 'oNTINUoUsLx OPERATING om:l on ons sans coNvERTING amour '-FURNACE' rim Feb. ze. '1924 `f shuts-'Sheet 3 A. M. BEAM" l l l lwml NNN

May 3,1927.-

coNTINUoUsL.' OPERATINGQRE on ,oms saAL'" coNvERTxNG REToxT FURNAGE N Si l,627,538 A. M. BEAM cn'rmuousm OPERATING oma. on-DRE sHALi-cQNv-nrmefuou men May 3.*.192-1.

med fm. 2s. 1924 ,-'vlsnufs-snegf s n., 3.1921. A. M BEAM 1.621.533

COITIIIUOUSLY OIERATING OBE OR ORE SVHALE -CONVBRTING KETCH? PURNACE P21194- reb. 26, 1924 "'1 shutsvsneet 6 iA. M. BEAM CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING ORB 0R .ORE ASHALEONVER'PING FURNCE Patented May 3, 1927.

`UNITED STATES AEON MILLS BEAM, OF DENVER. COLORADO; LEROY J. BEAM ADMINISTRATOR OF SAIL ARON MILLS BEAM, DECEASED.

CONTINUoUsLY-OPERATING om: 0R ORE-SHALE CONVERTING RETORT -FURNACE yApplication led February 26, 1924. Serial No. 695,265.

My invention relates `to a new and improved continuously operating ore and oil shale converting retort furnace.

\ And the objects of my invention are:

First: to provide an ore and oil-shale con-` verting retort, that continuously feeds ore or oil-shale through it and applies to the ore or oilyshale a radiated, and also an indi rect, and also afmuflled heat to the ore or oil-shale and converts the oil-shale to a condition Which enables the oil and other valuable products init to be recovered by inexpensive, precipitation a d other treatments.

Second: to provide d] new and improved continuously operating ore oroilvshale converting retort-furnace in which two ore or oil-shale'roast-converting muffled retorts are placed one above the other, the lower retort of which rests on brick Walls and is placed directly above a fuel burning fire-box or combustion chamber'. and' receives its ore or oil-shale converting heat from the flame and l hot gases of combustion that flow from the fire-box and the combustion chamber which How directly against the vbottom side of the lowest retort, and the heat therefrom penetrates throughthe floor of this lower-retort into they ore or 'oil-shale moving along its bottom through it and thus converts the ore or oil-shale by the4 application of a radiated or indirect and a muffled heat of low degree F., lWhile the retort above thislmvest retort is provided with heat that flows directly from the combustion chamber to its under side through by-pass flues that extend from the opposite sides of the rear end of the co1nbustion chamber and convey the heat around 'and up past the Vlower retortand discharges it into a cast iron flue place above and be,- tween the top of the lowest retort and the bottom of the upper retort and from the op.- posite end of this upper retort from itsheat entering end, by-pass fiues are placed around -thc upper retort that convey the. heat toaJ cast iron flue above 'this upper retort that conveys the heat and gases of combustion to a chimney at the rear end of this upper ue and to provide a new ore and oil-shale feeding machine at the side of the chimney and a chute that conveys theaerushed ore or oilshale past the rear end of the upper Hue and discharges it into vthe upper retort, and to provide a continuously forwardly moving endless ore and oil-shale conveyor arranged. through both retorts to move the ore or ollshales continuously by a constant, unbroken `forward movement through both retorts.

Third: to provide a continuously and automatically operating oil-shale converting multiple roasting floor retort furnace that operates to convert ores or oil-shales by radiated. or muiledheat, and to provide such a retort furnace made up of two indepen-` ly forward movement through said retorts.

Fourth: to provide a .multiple roasting floor ore or oil-shale retort furnace, thatis provided with an automatically and continuously operating variable speed `and an autolnatically tightening ore or oil-shale feeding conveyor that is arranged and adapted to feed crushed and dried ores| or oil-shalesthrough my multiple retort furnace.

Fifth: topi-Ovide an ore or oil-shale mul-"i tiple retort furnace that is simple in arrangement, inexpensive to construct and operate, and economical] successful in the treatment of ores or o oil-shales, and that can be quickly and inexpensively erected in mining districts` and the parts of which can be easily removed and replaced during ther operation of the furnace.

' I attain these objects by the mechanismj illustrated in tle accompanying drawings, `in which:

Figure 1 is .a sectional side elevation of my ore and oil-shale convert-ing retort through the longitudinal center of it on line 2-2 Yof Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side viewslightly enlarged of the tivo end portions. f

.Figure 4 is an end view of the feed end of the furnace.

Figure is a transverse sectional view thereof on the line 5 5 of Figure 3. Y Y

Figure 6 is a. view of the opposite end' of the furnace from that shovvn in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional the line 7--7 of Figure 3. l

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view view on through a portion of one of the retorts and'- the conveyor mounted thereina.

Figure 9 is a plan View of the portion of the conveyor shown in Figure 8, the side wall of the retort being shown in section.

Figures 10 and 11 are perspectiye views of the7 opposite ends of a retort section, showing the manner in which the ends of the adjoining sections lit together.

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View showing the two ends of the retort sections as they appear when connected.

p Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view of a retort furnace adapted for the treatment .of oil shale.

Figure 14 is a side view of a portion of the arrangement shown in Figure 13.. J

-Figures 15, 16, andl 17 are sectional views, respectively, on the lines 15.-l5, 16S- 16, and 17--17 of Figure 13.

. Figure 18 is a diagrammatic plan view, on a reduced scale, of the character ofi/furnace shown in Figure 13. A

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic elevation, showingthe manner of 'conveying the gas from the retorts to water-holding tanks, for the separation of the oil from the said gas;

and

Figure 20 is a transverse sectional view through one of the retorts and the adjoining flue, and showing theV manner of closing the gas outlet in said flue with a manually operated damper.

large tonnage capacity vis required,

Figure 21 is aside View of a portion of one of the shaft supporting brackets lon the front end of the machine showing an adjustable shaft bearing a box mounted therein.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several Views.`

Referring to the drawings:

My new complex, refractory and rebellious ore, and oil shale, low-heat roast-converting multiple-retort furnace consists of preferably only two retorts 1 and 2, placed one above the other in vertical alignment; but more than two retorts can be used one above the other in a singleifurnace where a very two retorts 1- and 2'are encased` and supported in and on walls of brick or concrete,

fire-brick and fire-clay' slabs, or cement lieing used to protect the bottom of the lower retort 2. These enclosing and supporting walls consist of the opposite side walls 3 and 4, and the front end wall 5 and the rear end wall 6, and the inside surfaces of these Walls are preferably faced with fire-brick. A lire box and combustion chamber 7 is formed between the walls 3 and 4 and the front end wall 5.

This fire box 7 comprises'the combustion chamber above the grate bars and it has an ash pit space below the grate bars, and it is formed by a bridge wall 9, between walls 3 and 4, and grate bars 10, which are sup- These thirds of the length. in order to prevent the heat from the combustion chamber from blistering or warping it. Y'

The roducts of combustion, which are flames, ot gases and smoke ot' the combustion chamber, flow up against the tir'emclay slabs 9^ that are placed under and against the bottom of the retort, and they flow along the under side of the fire clayslab covered bottom of the retort 2, fand along and against its uncovered rear end, and then vthey `flow intol two by-pass flues 12. the

lower ends of which are built into the brick side walls, and they extend up around the outside surfaces of the retort 2, and into a flue 13. These by-pass flues l2 consist of cast iron pipes that have inwardly projecting lower and upper ends 12A and 12, the ends l2A of which are vbuilt into the brick side walls 3 and 4, and they extend outside f of the brick walls and up, around and past the retort 2and their upper ends 12B enter apertures 12C formed in the opposite sides ofthe cast iron flue casting 13, to' which they are bolted. The Hue casting 13 rests on top of the retort 2, between it and the upper retort 1, and hot gases and sm'oke flow through this fine 13 against the bottom of the retort 1 to its opposite end where they enter another pair of by-pass fines 14, which are bolted toapcrtures 13A formed in the opposite sides of the fille 13 at their'lower ends, and these two by-pass fiues 14 extend up and around the ibutside of the retort 1 and their upper ends enter into apertures 14A formedin the opposite sides of a casti-ron flue 15, to which'they1 are bolted.` The flue 15 is placed on top of the retort 1. and the hot gases and smoke How through it to a flangedoutlet 15AA to which a smoke stack 15B is secured."

These two retorts 1 and 2. and their ilucs.

'retort 2 and of the Hue 13, and of the retort 1 and the flue 15, is as follows:

These two retorts 1 and2 al'e constructed in the form of long tunnel members, and

they are preferably constructed of cast iron castings, but can be made ofoany other suitable material or materials; and to enable them to be easily and quickly handled in constructing them and in erecting them into retort furnaces, I make. them i'n short cast iron sections that are bolted or otherwise secu/red together in end to end alignment. The lower retort consists of a lloor member 16 which .is provided with wall resting' lugs I6", that rests oii top of the side walls 3 and el, and also consists of a cap' member,l which cap member consists ol a channel member haring a web or roof portion 17 and two opposite flanges or do'wnwrdly extending side portions 1'8, which bear on the wall resting lugs 1(5^.

The floor member I t ol' this retort 2 ceives and eonvertiugl roastsI the criished -oie and oil shale that is moved over its upper surface, and il consi-sts ot' a lat cast iron plate, the opposite sides 16^ of VY.which extend overonto and rest on the. brick side Walls 3 and throughoi'it the leugtli of this retortwwhile the two opposite end floor plates 16 of this retort extend orer and rest on the brick end walls 5 and and thus rest onthe `walls all aroundthe retort furnace, as shown in `Figure t l As seen in Figs. 10,11 and 12. the opposite sides 16A of these {ioor members 16 of the retort 2 arel provided with raised lugs 18" thatdcfine bearing surfaces 21 on the extremeends of these plates and the ends of the sides 18 of the cap member 1T are provided with outwardly projecting lugs 22, which rest on the bearing surface 2l ofthe floor plate, up against the raised vlugs 18A of the floorplate 16', and bolt receiving holes 22^-are formed through both '40 of these lugs, and this cap and the floor plate are made to form one complete ore or oil shale roast converting retort section .of the lower retort 2, whicht is made preferably eight inches in height by three feet '45 in width inside measurements.

MThe upperl surface 17^ "of the cap member 17 of this retort 2 is used to 4form the floor `iortion 'of the heat and smoke iue 13;

and or this purpose it is provided with stepped bearing, surfaces 22B at its opposite ends adjacent to defining lugs 22C, on whiclr restthe 4lower ends of the sides 13 Vof the fiilel casing 13, whichf lower ends are f Iprovided with outwardly extending lugs that 4arefprovided, with bolt holesthat are inalignment with ther'bolt holes 22'* in the cap and oorrriember 'of the retort2.. This flue consists of an enclosed cap member 2? and the sides already referenced, and `-it is preferably of the same height and length as theretort 1 and is consequently of. about the same area.

The upper surface 23A of the flue 13, is arranged to form lthe floor member of the retort 1, and its opposite sides 24 are yprovided with'stepped shouldered bearing surfaces 25, on which the lowerends 26 of the sides 2'(v of the cap member 2S of the retort 1 rest. These lower ends 26- are provided with,outwardly projecting lugs 25S, that rest on the bearing surfaces 25; and these lug bearing surfaces are provided with bolt, receiving holes 30 that are in alignment with the bolt holes 22^ in the cap and lioor memi-iers ofthe retort 2.

'.lhe cap member 28 of theretort 1 is of the same height as the cap member of the retort 2. and consequently the two retorts are of the same height and length.

'l`he upper side surface of the top portion and of the cap member 28 of the retortl is arranged to form the f loor member of -the upper heat and smoke tine 15, the cap 33 ot' which rests on shouldered bearingsurfares 34 formed on the opposite sides of theV floor surface 28^ of the cap ofthe retort 1, and vthe lower endsl of the side of this smoke ca`)` Pil-B are )rovided with ro'ectinof1 .any

lugsl 36, in which boltholes Ware formed that are in alignment with the bolt holes in the retort 1 and Hue 13 and the retort 2, anda long holt is inserted through the holes iiiv these lugs, and it is tightened up to clampmgly secure these two retorts 1 and 2 and their Hues 123 and 15 tightly together.

The enclosed cap member 17 of `each section of my tunnel shaped retort is'provided with vertically positioned sidetlanges 3S), at its opposite ends, which are machine finished to' give them true smooth surfaces,I

which sections are fitted air-tight together and thus vbolted togetherthrougli these determined length, but as illustrated, forms a retort of six sections of about thirty feet in length, and :s I employ two of them, the ore or oil-shale travels sixty feet in the two retorts, illustrated.

The floor plates 16 and their cap members 17 are secured together to form a continuous- 1y even, smooth, flat floor surface from one section to the other, throughout the` length of each retort, and the opposite ends of the abutting sections of each-retort are provided with overlapping stepped joints, which conflangpres to 4make a continuous tunnel-shaped i retort, `which may thus be made of any presist of the shouldered and tapered meeting 'v surfaces 40 and 41. shown infFigures 1() andA o en end of which it closes, and then through t e retort 2 to a little beyond its end 44, where it drops into a screw conveyor 45, which extends across the end B of the retort 2 at substantially right angles to it. vThis screw' conveyor' 45 consists of a semi-circular trough member 46 that sets down into the i rear Vend wall 6, and that tits up against the v consist of wide strips ofsheet steel, enough underside of a housing casting, the base 4T of which forms a short even continuation of the fioor member 16 of the retort 2, and the trough oi the screw conveyor is secured to its under side by angles 48^.

The opposite ends of the trough 46 contain hubs 49, in which a shaft 5() is journaled. and the serewd is mounted on and secured to thisshaft. The trough extends beyond the side of the brick wall of the retort furnace, and its end is closed, and its underside at the outer end is provided with a downwardly extending discharge spout 52.

Thel end 53 ot the shaft extends far enough beyond the adjacent hub of the trough to receive a sprocket wheel 54, which is connected to and is rotated by a sprocket wheel 55, that is secured on a shaft 56. that extends through the power driven cone pnl-- ley 57 of the variable speed power transmissionmechanism that operates to movingly feed the crushed ore or oil shale through the two retorts of mylnu-ltiple retort furnace.

The mechanism I employ for feeding .crushed ores or oil-shales continuously through the two retorts is simple in construction, and it is also new and 'of novel character.

It consists of two link and roller type of chains, having cross bar ore moving ad rabbling blades between the links of the two chains, and theI rollers of the links run on tracks placed on the opposite inside surfacesl of the sides of the retorts 1 and 2. The rollers 58 are pivotally mounted between the overlapping endsy of each pair of links 59, and these rollers rest and run on a track 60, that consists of inwardly projecting lugs 60 that are cast on the inside surfaces ot' the side members of the retorts 1 and 2 at a short distance above the floor members of these retorts.

The inside link ot each pair of links throughout theleng'th of the conveyor .is

provi( ed with an inwardly projecting lug 62, to each of which the opposite ends of cross 'bars G3 are secured. These cross bars of one end 63A of each, of which is bent at right angles to .the width of the bars to enable them to be riveted or otherwise secured to the lug 62. The lower portion of these cross bars forms the ore or oil shale moving and rabbling blades 64, and the lowerl edge portion ot' each blade is provided with a row of holes J through it which vare placed at about three-quarters of an inch above their extreme lower-edges and at preferably about two and one-half inches apart across the length oi each blade. I preferably, however, place these holes J in each alternate blade in staggered relation to those Iof the other blades on each side of it. Y

'lhese holes J through these blades act to cause a certain amount of the ore that forms the top portion of the bed of ore that is being fed through the retorts by the blades to fiow through these holes and thus greatly assists in a stirring and rabbling action of the blades on the ore, which enables the heat to more throughly*penetrate the ore on the fioors of the retorts from its bottom to its top, no matter whether it is being run one-halt or three-quarters or an inch or blades on each alternate lugfa/nd vlink projecting downwardly, and the blades on the 'intermediate lug and link projecting upwardly, in order that as the endless conveyor travels through the retort 1 all of the blades on the lower. side of the conveyor, as shown in the cross sectional View of the retort furnace in Figure l, will extend down close to the floor of this retort and willmove and at the same time rabble theI crushed ore or oil shale to the opposite or front end A of the retort 1, then as the 'conveyor passes over the sprocket Wheels at the end Aiof the retort 1, the blades on the other side or top side of the conveyor that projected upward as it passed through the retort 1 will pass to the top side of the conveyor as it passes through the retort 2, and the blades that were on the top side of thel conveyor as it passed through the retort l will extend down to and move the ore and oil-shale along the floor of the retort 2 to its discharge end, from which it discharges into the screw conveyor 45.

On the opp'site ends of the blade portion of these cross bars I place guardplates 66. and I preferably place them on every third blade of the blades that project from one side of the conveyor, and also on every third blade of the blades that project from the other side of the conveyor, as shown. These guard plates 66 consist of short right-angled piecesj of steel, the inner ends at two ot' which are riveted back to back to opposite, sides of the blades, and their front ends form fiat slidable surfaces that move along between the adjacent edges of the tracks and thus hold the links and rollers onto the tracks against accidental displacement, and

of the tracks or on the sprocket Wheels that support the conveyor' as the links and roller chains pass around and over them.

The crushed and dried oreor oil-shale is fed into the retort 1 by means of a feedingin machine 42, which is-secured to the top of the housing casing 69. rllhis feeding-111 machine 42 yconsists of a hopper 68 that re- -ceives crushed and dried ores and oil-shales through a conveyor from these ores or oilshales' crushing and drying machinery, which I do not illustrate, as 'any of the machinery at present in use for crushing and drying ores can be used for this purpose. y

This feeding-in machine is provided with a body 70, in which-:1 rotary feeder is mountvariable speed transmission mechanism that operates the Conveyor of the retort furnace.

The upper end of this housing casting 69 is provided With a spouted chute member C that'eonveys the ore or oil-shale from the bottom of the feeding-in machine ipto the rear end B of the retort 1where the moving and rabbling blades ofthe link and roller conveyor Aengage it and movingly feed it along the bottom ofy the floor of the retort f 1 to its front end A, Where it falls through the chute 43 and drops into and onto the floor 16 of the retort 2, along which the conveyor moves it' ito its discharge end, .from which it falli into the screw conveyor 45, that conveys it beyond one sideof the retort furnace. `f

The ore oroil-shale conveyor moves continuously in a forwardly feeding direction that movingly feeds the oresand oilshales through the retorts from their feedin end to their discharge end. It does not reciprocate in the retorts, as'some coni 'veyors iii this type 'of retorts do, but it keeps the ore or oil shale moving continuously forward through both retorts, and this steadily forwardl movement lincreases the convertingtreatment 'capacity of my retort.

The opposite ends of the conveyor are Wound on sprocket Wheels' 71B and 72.3 at the rear ends B, ofthe retorts, and on sprocket wheels 73 `and-74; at the 'fronty end A of the retorts. l y

The conveyor is moved longitudinally through the retort'l and then theretortjQ by a multiple cone and gear. povverreceiving variable speed promoting and' transmitting mechanism, the preferred construction and arrangement ofvyhich isas follows All of the sprocket wheels that support the opposite ends of the conveyor are se'- cured inpairs at proper distances'apart to engage the link and roller chains onthe oppositesides `of the conveyor, and these sprocket wheel supporting shafts are rotatably journaled in housing castings 69 and 7.3, which extend over thev opposite ends A and .B of the retorts and lues and are secured -to them. T he housing casting 69 is secured to the rear endl B of the retorts 1 and 2 and the flue-s 13 and 15, and its lower end rests on top of the rear brick Wall 6, and extendsv up to the top of the heatand smoke iue 15.

The` two sprocket wheels 71B that drive the coneyor aregsecured at the right distanee apart to enter the link chain between the side links and between the rollers of both link chains of the conveyor on a shaft 76, that extends across the housing casting 69 ais and lthi-ou Il1 hubs 77 that are cast on its o posite outside surfaces, so that the link chain of the conveyor 'is driven in straight alignment through the retorts, and they are positioned at the proper height to cause its rollers to enter the retorts quickly and to engage and run on their tracks, and to allow the rabbling blades to enter them close to their floors. j i

The housing casting 69 is provided with a front plate portion 69A that fits against and closes-the open end of the ilue 13. The upper end of the housing casting 69 is pro- `vided with a crushed ore or oil shale feeding-in chute 78, which extends from the oven 'with 'the top of the upper heat and smoke flue 15, down past its rear end against which-it bears, and completely covers and closes it, and it enters by means .of a spout discharging end 78A into the rear end of the retort 1, into which lit dischargesl the crushed ore 'and oil shale from the feeding-in machine 42, which is secured on top of the feed inlet of the top vof the housing in position to discharge the crushed nore or oil shale that is, fed into its hopper 68, through a suitable ,conveyor from the crushing and drying machinery, all\of'- which I do'not illustrate, into the ore and oil shale receiving inlet ofthe spout of the housing casting 69.

On the outside end of the shaft 76, a largey gear Wheel 78B is secured, which meshes with a pinion 79 on a shaft 80,` having a large gear Wheel 80. The shaft' 80A 1s )ournaled in bearings 81 `formed on afbracket 92 thatis' secured to the endof the hous-w cone` ulley ,57 is'mounted on and secured. on this -shaft 56. lA small endless belt 87 encircles loosely the cone pulley 57, which pulley 88 engages and clamps the small endless belt 87 a ainst the surface of the cone pulley 57 an causes the endless belt to rotate the cone ulley 57 by frictional con-v tact with it. T e shaft 89, on which the cone pulley. 88 is secured, is journaled yin verticall positioned bearings 90, which are provide with oblong apertures 92 that have straight sides, in which an oblong hushed sleeve 92A that is provided with a confining flange`93 on their inner ends, is vertically adjustable by means of a set of screws 94 and .steel and leather disks 95 land 96 and steel slugs 97, which arel mounted in a er,- tures drilled down through the top portlons of these bearings to bear against the tops 'of each of thev hushed sleeves to Iadjust them and give to them aI slightly yielding resilient movement to the shaft 89 and to the cone 88.

'The shaft 89 extends beyond one side of the bracket, and a belt pulley 98 issecured on it, which receives rotative power by means of a belt yfrom a power-rotated I do not illustrate. The belt 87 17s provided with a manually operating belt shifter 98B,A which consists of a rod 98C that extends diagonally from an aperture 98Dy in thebraeket across the length of lthe lower cone pulley 57, to another aperture 98E in said bracket 82, and on it .a sliding sleeve 98E' is slidably mounted, which lcan be secured at any part of the length of the rod 98C by 'a butterfly set screwj 98G that extends through the sleeve against the rod.

The belt shifting sleeve is provided with flanges 98H on its opposite ends, which are pointed and extend closek to the meeting surfaces of thecone pulley, and these flanges straddle .thev short endless beltwhich runs or rotates between them, as the top cone presses this belt down onto the surface of the lower cone, and rotates it by fritional vcontact with it.

The automatically operating mechanism that tightens the, conveyor and keeps it taut is preferably constructed as follows:

The twe sprocket wheels 73 are secured on a shaft 99 at suitable distances apart to operatiyely it between the rollers -of the link roller chains, and the shaft 99 is jour@ naled through the opposite sides of this housing casting 75, and also through hubs 100 that are cast on the opposite outside surface of this-housing casting 75.

The two -lower sprocket wheels 74 and their shaft 102 are arranged to be automatically moved laterall by weights 103, which are-positioned to a just the tension of the endless conveyor on itsI tracks and sprocket wheels. Y

pulley, whichv the middle portion the opposite side edges of each of which two lnarrow projecting lugs 105 are cast, and on the bosses between the lugs, long flat blocks 106 are slidably mounted'and are held slidably between the lugs 105, by two thin strips of metal 107, which are secured by screws 108. The top surfaces of the strips extend over the' adjacent side edges of the blocks, thus holding the blocks 100 sldahly in their slideway between the lugs 105. Each one of these two blocks has' an outwardly projecting hub 109, through which the opposite ends of the shaft 102 are journaled in babbitted bearings 110 forn'ied in these hubs. The ends of the shaft also project through the blocks, and loosely through oblong apertures lll formed through the raised bosses and the opposite sides of the housing rast! lng.

(in the under side of this housing casting 75, bearings 112 are secured in which a shaft 113 is ljournaled, and it extends far enough beyond the opposite ends of the housing` casting to receive and be secured to the pivotal centers 114 of two rock arms 115, the short arm 110 of which is pivotally secured to one of the two lugs 117 that are formed on the sliding blocks 106. The long arms 118 of these crank levers have pivotally connected to their ends one of the ends of the rods 119, the opposite ends of which are arranged to receive weights'103 to move the sprocket wheels and their shaft and the sliding blocks laterally away from the adjacent ends A/of the'retorts 1 and 2, to keep the conveyor in a straighteneil-out posit-ion on its tracks and sprocket wheels. I l

1n the end oi the housing casting 69 l place a door 121 that opens into the rear end B of the retorts 1 and 2` and in the front end of the housing casting 75, I place'two doors 12,2 and 123. The doors" `121 and 122" are large enough to enable the conveyor and lts supporting and operating mechanism to be inspected and repaired when necessary, without removing the housingras'tings 69 and 75 from the ends of thc rctorts 1 and 2.?

The door 123 opens into the end of the 120 Hue 15. VAll orf these ldoors are provided with screw pressure clamping swing bolts 124 and lockl blocks 1.25, which are arranged to'clamp the doors with air .tight jofnts against the housingcastings. p Y

One side of the upper retort 1 and ofthe lower retort 2.is preferably-provided with two valvey controlled air inlet pipes 127, whichVV are placed' at several feet apart, from of this lower retort to 189 adjacent to its frontend; and the upper retort lis also provided with one valve controlled pipe 128, which is placed betwee'nthe middle of the length' of this retort audits front end. 'Both retorts are provided with gas -outlet pipes 129 and 130, which are placed in their rear endvportions.A l l In order to recover the oiland the ammonium sulphate and ,other products from oil shales, I connect to the gasoutlet apertures 131A and 132^ ol each ot' the retortsl and 2 a gas receiving and conveying vertically upward extending set of pipes 131` and 132, the lower endsvof which are provided with flanges 133, which are bolted over the gas outlets and to, the sides of the retorts 1 and 2. TheD pipes 131 and 132 are placed each ofthe elbows of the lower gas outlets or' the lower retort 2 and by a T-itting 141 to each of the valves that control the steam inlet portion of the gas outlet `)ortions ot the retort '1, and the opposite entls of these two steam inlet pipes, which are on the opposite sides of the retorts 1 and 2, are extended to and connected to a supply of steam under pressure, and the steam furnished by these` vppes flows. into the retorts, as well as into the pipes 131 and 132. A

V'Vhen steam is admitted into vthese retor s itis preferably admitted intermittently, and also intermittently', of course, into the vertical conveying pipes that carry the gases fromthe retorts and also the steam over into the .oil and ammonium sulphate precipitating tanks; but. it may be desirable at times to admit: a little steam constantly for quite long periods of time, especially as these outlets are-large'enough to allow the. air pressure which is admitted to the opposite ends of the retorts to drive the gases out/of the retorts at the same time that a little steam is entering, but as arule both the air and the steam are admitted at predetermined intervals when the oil shalesare in just that right character'of a conversion that the oxygen and the steam will mix with certa-in chemical elements contained in the shales. v

The air and .the steampwhen admitted at theproper time and in proper quantities `form chemical unions with certain chemical elements in the oil shales that assist in disintegrating the oil shales and liberating their volatile elements, andy also when the steam flows up into and through tlienpipes 131 and 132 it forces'the gases through these pipes into the oil and ammonium sulphate pree'ipitating vats. l v f The vertically upward extending gasyreceiving and conveying pipes 131 and 132 have threaded openings at their lowerends, which are closed by a plug 142 which can -be removed to allow any sediment settling be. roastinglyconverted by themselves: and

in these pipes to be discharged from them.

'lhe upper ends ot' these pipes 131 and 132 are provided with inwardly inclined terminal end portions 143, `which terminate in collar portions 144 to which one of the end's 145 ottwo pieces ot pipe146 are threaded, the opposite ends of which are threaded to lugs 147 that have curved flanges Vthat saddle inlet apertures formed on the opposite sides of a large pipe and are bolted to it. This large pipe 148 1s ot' enough larger area than the two pipes 131 and 132 to re ceive all of the gases that flow into and through those'pipes troni the retorts l and 2. The end of this large pipe 148 that is adjacent to its inlet pipes at the rear end of' the furnace is closed by a cap 149, but its opposite end. has connected therewith a pipe 149A which contains a valve VV, which extends 'to and is connected to a blower or to an airrpump' 1510, and from this blower .or

air pump an extension ot' the same sized 'pipe extends vto and is secured to the closed top end'ot' a lcondensing and precipitating vat 152. L J

In the. main sectional elevation of my re-` tort furnace I have only' shownone gas' outlet in the upper retort and one gas out.'-

let in the lower retort, butin Figure 18, a

plan view looking down ou top ot the retort is shown in which the main gas co`n` veying' pipe 14S is shown extending from the rear end ofthe retort furnace throughout its entire length to close to its front end, and in this view six diiii'ereut downwardly extending gas pipes are shown on each side of the main7 pipe, and these six gas pipes on each .side of the main pipe 148 extend to gas outlet holes formed in the opposite side of the retorts 1 and 2 so that while .l have preferably described the gas outlet and conveying pipes to the oil and ammonium sulphate recovery tanks, nevertheless, it' desired,a"s many more up to six on eachside may be employed, it desired.y j

The `operation ot my multiple retort furnace is as follows:

The' ores or oil shales to' 4.be roastiugly converted as a step in the recoveivcf their valuable products are first crus ied to a tineness ot' roml() to40vmesh and are then dried `and are conveyed vdried to the hopper of the feeding-in machine of my retort furnace. Ores `carrying platinum, gold, silver, l

copper, lead, zinc andl other metals must lill) that is, ores and oil shales should not be]V 17 and 28 ot' each section of the retorts and 2to allow the volatile gases that arel oil shales must be roastedi by themselves;

mixed together. The ores are fed automatically and continuously through the retorts by the conveyor mechanism, which is driven by the variable speed power receiving and y transmittingmechanismwhich gives to the operator ditterent'ore feeding time movements to the conveyor and consequently t themovcment of the ores til-rough the retorts.

The peculiar character of treatments that I give to ores after the roast. converting treatment will be fully described in mynew metallurgical process, which will be made 'the subject of another application for a patent, which is especially adapted tothe recovery of platinum, gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc, bismuth, potash, .magnetxe iron,

`antimony, molybdenum, quicksilver, uranium, nickel, cobalt, ammonium sulphate, ar-

senic and other valuable metals, .elements and products.

In operating my converting retort furnace for the treatment l ot' custom ores or oil shales in a mining district,ydifferen,t speeds ol the conveyor are necessary to gve to different charactersof ores or oil shales the time treatment necessary to properly convert them ;l but when my retort furnace is ,fused for converting the ore from! one'l mine, o1'

the o il shale fron'radeposit, theconveyor speed can be set, and not changed from that time required, in treating the ore from that mine or theoil shale from a particular district, as long as the character ofrthe ore 0r the oil shale does not change, and the speed -ot' the conveyor to move the ore or oil shale through the retorts is fixed to that particular time required in which to thoroughly roastingly convert the ores or oil shales. The

time required to "roastingly convert ores is determined by small tests'made in assay furnace dishes that hold about one oritwo teaspoonfuls, as the time required to couvert that amount of ore in an assay retort is the same as the time required to treat the ores or oil shales in tonnage lots in my retort furnace. i l y If a retort furnace is built exclusively for 4treating ores, the gas outlets129 and 130 are closed byat plates 129A, which are bolted to the outsides of the retorts over these outlets,'and a row of holes AA is formed through the top'f each of the cap members liberated from the ores to flow'into the llues 13 and 15l vfrom the ore treating chambers of these retorts and through these fiues tov .the chimney, and through the chimney to the is to be used exclusively for converting oil shales,the cap members of retorts 1 and 2 do not have any gas escaping apertures through them but are made solid and imperforate, as shown in Figure 13. Then all of the gases liberated from oil shales flow out of these retorts into the pipes 131 and 132 and to the oil and ammonium sulphate precipitating or condensing vats.

The valves of the valve controlled gas outlets of the retort-s consist of a cast iron plate A1, having a lug A2 cast in its top portion to which the inner end of a valve rod A3 is secured, and the outer end of this valve rod ext-.ends through the adjacent side of the.tlues 13 and 15, and its outer end is provided with a handle A4. The valve A2 is. of a length to hold the valve plate A over the' gas outlet apertures AA andclose them when the 'handle is positioned in against the 'outside surface of the tlues; and when the valve rod is pulled out until the valve late AA strikes against the inside surface o the fines the gas outlet apertures AA in the top members of the retorts are wide open. This arrangement in this co-operating ore or oil shale custom work treatingl retort furnace enables` all of the conditions to be met that are required to-give the veryl best resultsl in treating either ore by itself or oil shale by itself in one retort furnace.

My ,multiple retort furnace of this'present application embodies all of the preferred features of a number of years of careful experiments and practical experience in treating ores and oil shales that I have found necessary atthis time to assemble into a new type of construction and arrangement into a multiple retort furnace, which I havel herein illustrated; and it is the culmination of about years ot practeal ore-treating metallurgical work, n'iaterial evidence of which can be found in numerous patents that have been issued to me within that time, ot' which Patent N o. 1,299,661 was the last to issue; and Serial No. 359.435, tiled May 12, 19.19, and Serial No. 359,538, filed 4February 17, 1920, arelstill pending in the Patient Ofiice. lVhile I have illustrated and;

described t-he preferred construction and arrangement of my present retort furnace, I do not wish to be limited to thefconstruction and arrangement shown,- as many changes might be madein it without departi ing from the spirit of my invention,

Having described my invention, what I claim as new-and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. In a roasting furnace, a retort and flue comprising a pair of channely members" so arranged that ythe web of one channel member cooperates with the'side flanges ofthe second channel to provide a longitudinal passage, a plate cooperating with the flanges of said first channel to provide a second `superposed on said second longitudinal passage, and means for 'deliveringa material to be treatedv and a heatmg medium, respectively, to the said passages.

2. In a roasting furnace, a plurality of channel members super-posed, the webs 'of the several members closing the openings of adjacent channel members whereby a plurality of superposed longitudinal passages are provided, and means for delivering a material to be treated and a heating material,respectively, to alternate passages.

3. In a roasting furnace, the combination of a pair of superposed retorts, the lower retort comprising a base plate, a channel member mounted thereon to define a rectangular retort, a second channel member mounted on said first channel to define a rectangular flue, and a third channel superposed on saidvsecond channel to define another retort.

4. The structure as in claim 2 characterized byl the fact that all of the members are held in substantially air-tight engagement by a common clamping means.

5. The structure as in claim 2 characterized by the fact that the sides of the channel members defining the retorts carry tracks for supporting an endless conveyor.

6. In an ore and oil shale furnace, the combination of two horizontally' arranged superposed retorts, a pair of parallel tracks in each retort, and an endlessconveyor, said conveyor comprising supporting means resting on each track, cross-members secured to said supporting means, each cross-member having means for advancing the material under treatment, and guide fingers on the edges of the cross-members for rubbing engagement with the sides of the tracks.y

7. The structure as in claim 6, 'wherein tlie cross-members have openings near their outer edges to allow some of the material being roasted to pass therethrough.

8. The structure as in claim 6, wherein thev cross-members have openings near their outer edges cto allow someV of the material being roasted to pass therethrough, the openings in adjacent members being offset with respect toeach other.

9. In a roasting furnace, the combination of .a pair of superposed retorts eachfprovided Jvith a heatconveying 4flue below' 'and above it, and each provided with a valved controlled outlet in 1ts top web leading into its upper heat conveying flue, said lower retort comprising a base plate, a channel member mounted thereon to define a rectangular retort, a second channel member mounted on said irst channel member to define a rectangular iiue, posed on said channel member to definel a second retort and a fourth channel member retort to define ay second flue over the top of said second retort; and means for attachably and dedeveloping means,

a third channel member supertachably securing said retorts and their lues in vertical alignment together; a foundation for supportlng said retorts and their fines, means within said foundation for producingI heat and conveying it along the bottom of the base plate of said lower retort; a by-pass flue for conveying the heat from the foundation flue to the flue between the lower and the upper retort and a by-pass flue for conveying the heat from the Hue between the retorts to the flue above the upper retort and a damper controlled chimney at the end -of the upper flue.

10. In a roasting furnace, of the -foundation walls; heat producing means within said'walls, two roasting retorts, one above the other having a {luebetween them the. upper retort, said retort and flues being secured together and resting on said foundation wallsJ bypass flues through from said foundation walls into the rear end of the flue between theretorts, by-pass flues from the opposite end of the flue between the retorts into the flue above vthe upper retort: means for feeding ore or oil shale in and a flue and chimney above" the combination to the upper retort, and means including, a

continuously feeding varlable speed link belt roller chain conveyor mounted in said retort for feeding material continuously forward through said upper and lower retort in successive order i different periods of time. f Y

11. In a roasting furnace, the combination of supporting walls and heat ldeveloping means, a channel shaped retort resting on said walls and receiving heat from said heat a rectangular flue forming casing secured to the top web member of said lower retort and arranged to form a rectangular heat second rectangular casing secured to the top web of said second fiue and adapted to form a roasting chamber thereon` and a third iue casing secured on the top of the second retort and adapted to forma heat conveying flue along the top-of said second retort, said web members of torts being provided with valved-controlled apertures, the valves of which are operated from the outside of said furnace and valve controlled air or steam inlet pipes extending lthrough thesides of said retorts ipto the roasting chambers of said retorts.

and their fines beingl supported on a founv heat producing means,

fiue wit-hin said foundation containing and a heat conveying' datlon under said lower retort; track mem said lower and upper 'rreheat' conveying flue between flue and stack.

conveying flue thereon jointly with the web of said lower retort; a

lll

' l. 12. A multiple Iretort roasting furnace,.

bers on the inner opposite sides of each retort, means including a hopper for feeding ore into one end of the up er retort, means including an endless link elt roller chain conveyor arranged to run on said tracks in said retort and extending around the open ends of said retort, a hood extending over the open ends of both ret'orts at the op'- posite ends of said furnace, shaft-supported sprocket Wheels mounted in each hood and rotatably supporting said endless link belt conveyor, bars extending from one chain to the other across each retort, and blades on said bars arranged to move roastin material through both retorts from their eeding in' end to the upper retort to the discharge end. of the lower retort, said blades being provided With apertures along their edges, arranged in the blade in alternate order, and means including belt driven pulleys and gearing secured to the shaft of one of said link belt conveyor sprocket Wheels for im-y parting different predetermined speeds to said conveyor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

` ARON MILLS BEAM. 

